Fast facts
- Small township clustered around an historic steamer wharf
- Coastal town perched high on a bluff overlooking the sea and bordered by national parks
- 446 km south of Sydney, population 1,650
Why go there
Tathra’s historic steamer wharf is a popular fishing platform and the only one of its kind remaining on the state’s coast.
To the north of Tathra is Mimosa Rocks National Park, a 17 km strip of coast where crashing waves have eaten a honeycomb of sea caves from the cliffs and left towering rock stacks from ancient lava flows stranded in the sea. To the south, Bournda National Park has similarly spectacular geography of isolated beaches, lakes and rugged cliffs.
At the northern end of Tathra Beach, Mogareeka Inlet is the broad, sandy mouth of the Bega River, with safe swimming for children. Boat ramps facilitate access to the estuary and the sea.
History
European settlement began with the first squatters in the 1820s. Tathra developed as a small port, serving the local rural industry. From 1862, coastal steamers linked the town with Sydney, a service that continued until the 1950s. In recent times the town has become a summer holiday destination, especially popular with families.
Things to do
- Take a time-trip back to the steamship days at Tathra Maritime Museum.
- Search for fossils at Kianinny Bay at the northern end of Bournda National Park
- Take fins and a face-mask for snorkelling at Mimosa Rocks.
- Take a photographic trip through the national parks.
Don’t miss
- The native flora and fauna in Tathra Forest Wildlife Reserve.
- Prawning from November–May.
- Water sports on Lake Wallagoot.
- The fairy penguins and seals that visit Tathra Wharf. 3
- Sandcastle building on Tathra Beach.
